Portland Trail Blazers 2018/19

[Merganzer]

https://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/2019 ... yoffs.html

Enes Kanter played through shoulder injury as the Blazers beat the Thunder, but can he continue in NBA playoffs?

Kanter played through the injury, which happened in the first quarter, but he needed a medicinal injection at halftime to do so and was in obvious pain throughout the final three quarters. Kanter winced multiple times and tugged at his shoulder after hard crashes to the Moda Center floor, and seemed to keep his left arm tucked close to his side when he could.
The Blazers’ starting center left the team’s locker room after the game with his left arm in a sling and a giant ice bag wrapped around his left shoulder. Although he said he was hopeful he would be ready for Game 1 of the next round, Kanter was expected to undergo further evaluation on Wednesday.
“I tried to play through it tonight,” Kanter said. “We’ll just have to see what happens (Wednesday) and the next day. Hopefully I can play through it.”
Kanter played through the pain heroically Tuesday night, recording 13 points and 13 rebounds in 32 minutes, while playing a pivotal role as the Blazers’ advanced past the first round for just the third time since 2000.
The good news? The Blazers, who will face the winner of the Denver-San Antonio first-round series, do not play again until Monday. So he will have five days to rest his ailing shoulder. The bad news? The Blazers, of course, are already shorthanded at center.

[Merganzer]

Jokic scores 43 for Denver, but San Antonio wins 120-103, to force Game 7.

[buckmarkduck]

Dame was 8-12 on 30 + footers in the seires, but that was a bad shot. How many of those 12 3s were from 37 feet? The percentage of him making that would be close to 5% if that I would guess, just cause he made it doesn't mean it wasn't a bad shot.

Let's have a vote.

Who thinks thomas time is wrong?

I.

The NBA average was 24.9% from that distance, Dame averaged 36% on shots this year from that distance. How exactly is it a bad shot, and where did you get the 5% at? I think you forgot the 3 in front of the 5.

[UofDuck]

Dame was 8-12 on 30 + footers in the seires, but that was a bad shot. How many of those 12 3s were from 37 feet? The percentage of him making that would be close to 5% if that I would guess, just cause he made it doesn't mean it wasn't a bad shot.

Let's have a vote.

Who thinks thomas time is wrong?

I.

The NBA average was 24.9% from that distance, Dame averaged 36% on shots this year from that distance. How exactly is it a bad shot, and where did you get the 5% at? I think you forgot the 3 in front of the 5.

I think the point is, a 36% chance isn’t good. Double or nothing on anything of value with a 36% chance of winning isn’t great. PG backed off to ensure the stop of a much higher percentage shot - closer in - and gave DL the lower chance shot. That’s what made the shot more amazing. DL took the gamble and against the odds, drilled it.

[Alan]

To break down to its simplest form, was it a lower % shot than a wide open dunk? Yes of course. The game was tied with 1.5 seconds on the clock when it left his hand, there's were three options; first he gets fouled and goes to the line needing one of three shots, second he misses and the game goes to OT, blazers are still very much alive in the series and three he makes a shot he hits on a higher percentage average then anyone else in the NBA except maybe Curry...... game and series over. There was no chance of the Bazer season being over with that shot........ it was a good choice of shots and a great shot for the history books. He hit the shot, series win.... nuff said imo.

[StevensTechU]

Dame was 8-12 on 30 + footers in the seires, but that was a bad shot. How many of those 12 3s were from 37 feet? The percentage of him making that would be close to 5% if that I would guess, just cause he made it doesn't mean it wasn't a bad shot.

Let's have a vote.

Who thinks thomas time is wrong?

I.

The NBA average was 24.9% from that distance, Dame averaged 36% on shots this year from that distance. How exactly is it a bad shot, and where did you get the 5% at? I think you forgot the 3 in front of the 5.

I think the point is, a 36% chance isn’t good. Double or nothing on anything of value with a 36% chance of winning isn’t great. PG backed off to ensure the stop of a much higher percentage shot - closer in - and gave DL the lower chance shot. That’s what made the shot more amazing. DL took the gamble and against the odds, drilled it.

A contested shot at the rim -- if he gets there -- is not inherently a higher percentage shot. That's what is kind of driving me insane about this conversation. If Damian chooses to drive instead of taking an open shot within his shooting range, there's a great chance he gets rejected or gets fouled with no call, and then if he does get a shot off it will be contested and the odds will be well under 50%. If that wasn't true, you'd see a game winner every night with people "simply" going to the basket. Closer is easier, but more contested means harder.

[Phalanx]

Well Anyway...

I hope San Antonio wins for home court advantage and because I don't think this iteration of the Spurs is as talented as the Blazers. Also, since Lillard is handing out 'a** whoopins', it seems like LMA is overdue for one. Hopefully, LaMarcus plays as bad as he did for Portland in the playoffs vs. Memphis. I've still never seen anyone mail it in for a whole series like he did that year. He should have refunded his salary after that farce.

[UofDuck]

Dame was 8-12 on 30 + footers in the seires, but that was a bad shot. How many of those 12 3s were from 37 feet? The percentage of him making that would be close to 5% if that I would guess, just cause he made it doesn't mean it wasn't a bad shot.

Let's have a vote.

Who thinks thomas time is wrong?

I.

The NBA average was 24.9% from that distance, Dame averaged 36% on shots this year from that distance. How exactly is it a bad shot, and where did you get the 5% at? I think you forgot the 3 in front of the 5.

I think the point is, a 36% chance isn’t good. Double or nothing on anything of value with a 36% chance of winning isn’t great. PG backed off to ensure the stop of a much higher percentage shot - closer in - and gave DL the lower chance shot. That’s what made the shot more amazing. DL took the gamble and against the odds, drilled it.

A contested shot at the rim -- if he gets there -- is not inherently a higher percentage shot. That's what is kind of driving me insane about this conversation. If Damian chooses to drive instead of taking an open shot within his shooting range, there's a great chance he gets rejected or gets fouled with no call, and then if he does get a shot off it will be contested and the odds will be well under 50%. If that wasn't true, you'd see a game winner every night with people "simply" going to the basket. Closer is easier, but more contested means harder.

I get what your saying, but if PG guards DL tight that far out, Damian loses the open option from deep, but gains a better chance to take it to the hoop, or dish,etc. PG is saying, I was not going to give him that, I wanted to force him shoot it from deep or come to me and battle. PG liked the odds of a miss better from deep, and he paid the price for his gamble. He wanted to control the scenario and did. What he couldn’t control by laying off is Damian’s ability to rise up and drop it from DEEP. On the other side, Damian took what he thought was his best option, an open shot from deep. Both players took what they thought gave them the best odds of winning. They both took a gamble. One won, the other lost. There will always be second guessing of strategy in a loss and PG is just trying to defend his decision.

[Merganzer]

https://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/2019 ... fense.html

When asked about the final play in which Damian Lillard stepped back and shot a 37-foot jumper that rattled in, George told reporters, “That’s a bad shot. I don’t care what anyone says. That’s a bad shot. But he made it. That story will be told but it was a bad shot and you have to live with it.”

Other than a tweet that laughed at George’s remarks, Damain Lillard had not said anything about those remarks. That is, until now.


“For him to say that’s a bad shot, that’s just kind of being a poor sport,” Lillard said. “If anything, it was bad defense, because I had the ball in my hands with two seconds, and I wasn’t going to drive, so maybe he should’ve just bodied up.”

[Merganzer]

Denver beats San Antonio 90-86 in Game 7, sets up Portland at Denver, Game 1 second Round: Monday, 7:30 on TNT.

[Phalanx]

https://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/2019 ... fense.html

When asked about the final play in which Damian Lillard stepped back and shot a 37-foot jumper that rattled in, George told reporters, “That’s a bad shot. I don’t care what anyone says. That’s a bad shot. But he made it. That story will be told but it was a bad shot and you have to live with it.”

Other than a tweet that laughed at George’s remarks, Damain Lillard had not said anything about those remarks. That is, until now.


“For him to say that’s a bad shot, that’s just kind of being a poor sport,” Lillard said. “If anything, it was bad defense, because I had the ball in my hands with two seconds, and I wasn’t going to drive, so maybe he should’ve just bodied up.”

Lillard made a nice shot, and he is enjoying the publicity and respect that it is bringing him, but please, let's not forget that only last year, he was basically completely neutered by Jrue Holiday. I mean, is he really accusing Paul George of bad defense? C'mon, man. He needs to shut up and let other people make those kind of hot takes. You know who else just made a nice shot to send his opponent home? Jamal Murray. Instead of accusing others of bad defense, Damian should focus on how he is going to guard a guy who has repeatedly torched him in the recent past.

[Duck07]

You know who else just made a nice shot to send his opponent home? Jamal Murray. Instead of accusing others of bad defense, Damian should focus on how he is going to guard a guy who has repeatedly torched him in the recent past.

[Phalanx]

[StevensTechU]

Instead of accusing others of bad defense, Damian should focus on how he is going to guard a guy who has repeatedly torched him in the recent past.

Obviously you can only do one..

[Merganzer]

https://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2019 ... acter.html

We should be proud of the maturity displayed by the Trail Blazers, and particularly their leader, Damian Lillard. It was striking to watch him interact with the news media after Games 3 and 4 (defeat and victory), in contrast to the corresponding interviews with Russell Westbrook and Paul George of Oklahoma City. Lillard responded with thoughtful, respectful answers, while Westbrook and George seemed to resent being there, muttering tired clichés or simply refusing to answer. Talent goes a long way in the NBA (and Westbrook and George have a ton of it), but I’m thankful we also have strong character and leadership.
I hope parents and teachers won’t miss this teachable moment: While talent often trumps character in professional sports, it’s how you treat people that will help you flourish in life, long after your physical abilities decline.
Dave Martin, Portland